Georgia Tech guard Will Bryan said he and the rest of the linemen are tired of hearing people talk about how badly they played last year.
“We’re definitely preparing this summer,” he said. “We aren’t going to let that happen again.”
The line was criticized, including by coach Paul Johnson, through much of last year’s 3-9 season for a variety of reasons: missed assignments, an inability to get to the linebackers and safeties, and for not being able to get a push in short-yardage situations, such as in the loss to 34-20 Duke when the team was stopped short of a first down on consecutive third- and fourth-and-shorts on the Blue Devils’ 27-yard line in the fourth quarter when the Jackets were within a touchdown of taking the lead.
The Yellow Jackets averaged 29.2 points and 256.2 rushing yards per game last season. It was the fewest rushing yards the team has averaged since Johnson took over before the 2008 season. The previous low of 273.2 came during his first year.
“Overall, I’m not really sure what the difference was,” Bryan said. “We have it fixed now. We are going to come off the ball fast and ready to go.”
The group returns three starters from the season finale against Georgia: Trey Klock, Freddie Burden and Bryan, who started the final six games at right tackle as a freshman, but has moved to guard, a position he said he prefers because he likes being in the middle of the line compared to being out in space and said he’s good at pulling.
This camp has been much different than last year’s for Bryan because he said he’s not at raw. With the experience gained from practices and games last year, he said he’s able to help the less-experienced players such as freshmen Parker Braun and Kenny Cooper, and redshirt freshmen Scott and Brad Morgan.
“It’s been good to be able to do more of the teaching than being taught like last camp,” Bryan said.
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